Furnace wall



Feb. 16, 1932. F. B. BIGELOW FURNACE WALL @El JEL Patented Feb. 16, 1932UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRANK B. BIGELOW, 0l' DETROIT, MICHIGAN,ASSIGNOB T0 BIGELOW-LIPTAK @3203A- TION, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ACORPORATION OF MICHIGAN IUBNACE WALL Application led October 7, 1989.Serial No. 397,809.

My present invention relates to the refracto walls of furnaces and aimsto better their construction as well as improve their functioningproperties.

rlhe invention pertains more particularly to what are known as suspendedwalls where- -in thel members comprising the wall or furnace lining aresupported independently of one another, or in small groups, on asuitable metal framework, so that the refractory members are notsubjected in any material degree to the weight of other members imposedthereon.

ne object of the invention is to provide a construction of this typewhich can be repaired at a minimum of expense, in that only the innersurface bricks or blocks are subject to possible heat injury or damageduring ordinary service, and, in the new structure, any one or more ofthese can be easily replaced without removing or disturblng the outersurface or supporting blocks.

A further aim of the invention is to supply a structure wherein thebreaking or offsetting oi joints between the refractory elements can bereadily effected, which is sometimes desirable, when pressure is carriedin the circulating air lines and there is tendency for the air to beforced through any cracks, crevices or openings in the furnace lining.

ein added salient feature of the invention is that its use permits theemployment of va variety of types of refractories in the furnace wall orlining and the proper insulation uit `the same.

The manner in which the above and other desirable aims are attained willbe comprehended by those skilled in the art from an understandin of thepresent preferred embodiment of t e invention, illustrated in detail inthe accom anying drawings and described below, 1 e reference numeralsbeing used in the views of the drawings to denote the same parts.

In these drawings both views are fragmentary perspective presentationsof small sections of the novel and improved wall.

By reference to such drawings, it will be observed that the metalframework for supporting or sustaining the wall comprises a plurallty ofspaced, parallel, upright I-beams 11, of which only one is shown, onwhich are mounted a proper number of verticallyspaced or separated,horizontal bracket-bars 12, 12, each of which along its lower art has aninwardly-extended ledge or shel 13 having a depending flan e 14 alongits inner edge or margin, where the two integral parts 13 and 14 form anefbngated hook.

Part way up the height of the bracket or bar, it has another,inwardly-projecting, nar- 'row'r shelf or ledge 15.

Each ledge 15 has resting on and su ported by it the outer portions of arow of re ractory or heat-insulating bricks or blocks 16 each of whichis held securely in position thereon by the flange or hook 14 of thenext upper bracket-bar ittin in its top notch 17, the lower corner 18offJr each of such blocks being rounded at 19 to permit its introductioninto position between adjacent bracket-bars with facility.

Each such brick or block, as is clearly depioted, has a portion 21designed to fit in under the ledge 13 and behind the flange 14, so thatthe block is securely maintained in the specified position and relation,the inner face of the block having a projection 22 of less height thanthe block and having a down wardly, outwardly sloping or inclined, topface 23, the bottom surface of such extension being Hush with thecorresponding face of .the main body of the block` and its inner surface24 parallel to the outer face 25 of the block.

Thus each row of vertically-separated, outer di* supporting blocks 16has an inwardlyextended ledge, formed by the projecting parts 22, havinga sloping upper surface.

A row of inner or lining refractories 26 is supported on each suchledge, each block 26 having/a rear projection 27 along its upper portionwith a sloping bottom surface 28 com-` panion to, and resting on, theinclined surface 28, each such block 26 having a top, ilat, horizontalsurface, desirably, but not necessarily, flush or on a level with theupper face ofthe corresponding ledge 13, the outer vertical face 29 ofthe section 27 bearing against Aso or spaced slightly away from andextending above the complementary face ofthe outer supporting block 16,the bottom surface of each element 26 being plane and'horizontal and itsinner surface 32 flat and vertically disposed.

Thus the rows of refractory lining or surface blocks 26 are directlyhung on the rows of outer supporting bricks 16, their contacting,cooperating, inclined, surfaces holding them in suitable engagement.

From the illustration, it will be clear that the members 26 do notextend to the bottoms of their sustaining elements 16, and hence thereare stepped spaces between the united rows of inner and outer, orsurface and supporting, blocks which are occupied by rows of stepped orshouldered filler-bricks 34 of the shape illustrated and which in many1nstances do not rest on the ledges 13, but are supported solely by theunderlying rows of blocks 26.

The filler bricks have shallow spaces or expansion joints between theirtwo-level top surfaces and the under faces of the elements 16 and 26directly above them and one or both of such gaps, especially the innerone between the arts 34 and 26, may be filled or packed wit asbestos orrefractory material, as may be best suited to the particularrequirements..

Obviously, these filler-blocks 34 lock the companion blocks 26 in place,and to remove any one of the latter, in order to replace it with anundamaged substitute, it is first necessary to take out the ller blockdirectly labove it, whereupon the particular black can be liftedsuiliciently and detached without disturbing any of the other members,especially the supporting elements 16.

To detach or demount any block 16, the two blocks 34, 34 directly aboveand below it, as well as the brick 26 in line with it, are taken out,whereupon the member 16 c-an be tilted sufficiently to allow itsremoval.

As is illustrated, the upright joints between adjacent supporting orholding blocks 16 are out of register with the joints between theproximate lining or face blocks 26, the vertical joints between the endsof members 34 do not register with those between blocks 26, and thehorizontal crevices between refractories 34 and 26 are at a higher levelthan the spaces between elements 34 and 16.

Hence all of the cracks or fissures are sealed, for all practicalpurposes, preventing inltration of air into the furnace or the forcingof the furnace gases out through the wall due to internal gas pressure.

By employing this novel and improved construction and arrangement andcoperation of parts, bricks or blocks of relatively inexpensive type,but yet fully adapted to perform their supporting function, may be usedas the sustaining bricks directly mounted on 4filler membe the metalframework and much more expensive highly-refractory bricks, which aredirectly exposed to the high heat `of the furnace, may be employed forthe lining and When replacement is required, it is merely necessary tosubstitute new bricks for the inner or surface ones without demountingor changing the supporting bricks.

Furthermore, in a furnace wall where it is necessary or advisable to usea silicon carbide or other refractory lining, wherein the thermalconductivity is such that it is practically impossible to employ thematerial in connection with a furnace wall construction having metalsupporting members, due to the overheating of the supporting bracketsand their resultant deterioration, the new type of wall lends itself forsatisfactory employment, because the furnace can be operated under hightemperatures without excessive heat losses and without endangering themain, supporting, metallic members, since, in such a case, the siliconcarbide or other refractory lining performs its usual function ineilicient manner, but the heat which it is capable of transmitting doesnot reach the metal members by reason of the interposition of thesupporting bricks of low heat conductivity.

In addition, a furnace lining may be required of an expensive materialwhich is not such that it can withstand the superimposed weight of abuilt-up wallV construction.

The arrangement shown and described relieves the furnace wall lining ofweight and it permits the use of a lower grade and less costly backingor set of supporting bricks.

There are also times when it is prudent or advantageous to replace theentire lining, due to change in fuels or operating conditions and, inthe new wall incorporating this invention, this may be quickly andinexpensively accomplished since the inner or service lining itself iseasily changed and at much less cost than an entire new wall.

Particular attention is directed to the fact that the inner lining canexpand and contract independently ofthe wall of supporting bricks thatthe joints of the wall are offset allowing it to be made substantiallyair-tight, that the outer wall ma be sealed tightly and the inner wallmay e hung loosely thereon, hence eliminating weight or expansionstrains on the individual elements, and that the lining wall may bereadily replaced without the expense of renewing the whole wall.

The present invention represents an advantageous and substantialimprovement over the structure presented in United States Patent1,670,490, Jack E. Bigelow, furnace wall construction, granted May 22nd,1928.

The invention, as defined by the appended claims is susceptible ofvarious embodiments and is consequently not limited to the particularone shown and described.

vlil) I claim:

l. In a furnace-wall, the combination of vertically-spaced, horizontalbracket-bars, each with an inwardly-extended, bottom ledge having adepending, marginal flange along its inner edge and a narrower,inwardly-projecting shelf part way up the height of the bar, a row ofsustaining-bricks resting on each of said shelves and held thereon bythe ledge-flange of the next bar above fitting in aligned recesses ofsuch bricks, each of said bricks having an inwardly-extended projectionwith a downwardly, outwardly, sloping, top surface, a row of liningbricks supported by each of said rows of sustaining-bricks and havingprojections with downwardly, outwardly, sloping, bottom surfaces restingon the complementary, upper surfaces of the sustaining-brickprojections, the bottom faces of said lining-bricks being' above thecorresponding faces of said sustaining-bricks, and a row offiller-bricks between said horizontal rows of lining-bricks, each ofsaid fillerbricks having a top, stepped surface to conform to thedifferent levels of the bottom faces of said lining and sustainingbricks, the vertical joints between said sustaining-bricks being out ofregister with the vertical joints between said lining-bricks which theysupport, the vertical joints between said fillerbricks being out ofregister with the joints between said' lining-bricks.

2. In a furnace-wall, the combination of 'vertically-spaced, horizontalbracket-bars,

each with an inwardly-extended, bottom ledge having a depending,marginal flange along its inner edge and a narrower, inwardly-projectingshelf part way up the height of the bar, a row of sustaining-bricksresting on each of said shelves and held thereon by the ledge flange ofthe next bar above fitting in ali ned recesses of such bricks, each ofsaid briclgts having an inwardly-extended projection, a row oflining-bricks supported by each of said rows of sustaining bricks andhaving projections resting on the complementar sustaining-brickprojections, and rows o liller-bricks between said horizontal rows oflining bricks, the vertical joints between said sustainin -bricks beingout of register with the vertical oints between said lining-bricks whichthey support the vertical joints between said filler-bricks bein out ofregister with the joints between sai liningbricks.

3. In a funace-wall, the combination of verti1ally-spaced, horizontalbracket-bars, each with an inwardly-extended, bottom ledge having adepending, marginal flange along its inner edge and a narrower,inwardly-projecting shelf part way up the height of the bar, a row ofsustaining bricks resting on each of said shelves and held thereon bythe ledge flange of the next bar above fitting in aligned-recesses ofsuch bricks, each of said bricks havin an inwardly-extended rojection, arow o lining-bricks supporte by each of said rows of sustaining bricksand having projections resting on the complementar sustaining-brickprojections, and rows o filler-bricks between said horizontal rows oflining-bricks.

4. In a furnace-wall construction, the combination of asustaining metalframework, supporting members mounted on and supported solely by saidframework in horizontal rows and individually removable from saidframework, said members having inwardlyextended horizontally-alignedprojections of less height than said members, horizontal rows of innerrefractory lining elements having outwardly-extendedhorizontally-aligned projections supported on and interlocked with saidprojections of said members, said elements by said (3o-operatingprojections being demountably supported solely by .and individually onsaid supporting members, and intermediate refractory filler-blocksbetween said rows of inner elements and when in place locking saidlining elements against detachment from the wall and when removedpermitting such detachment.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK B. BIGELOW.

